Sussurratore
Sussuratori are the grim secret-keepers of vampiric society. Charged with guarding the existence of individual vampiric communities and counteracting the activities of vampire hunters and traitors to the undead, these grim knights engage in a silent vigil designed to keep the fear of death in the undying. When asked why they do not turn over their fellow undead to vampire hunters, any given vampire is likely to list the wrath of the sussuratori as their prime reason. Curiously, many - perhaps even most - sussuratori are living creatures, the better to effect their purpose and also to keep suspicions of corruption and personal ambition from marring their work. These mortals are generally drawn from the ranks of those who serve vampires, having been selected for service by the sussurratori. Some, however, petition to join the ranks of the whisperers out of a sense of gratitude or obligation towards the undead, or because they hope loyal service will eventually be rewarded with undeath. Warlords and stalkers are the most common sussuratori, though mystics, harbingers,and rangers form a strong minority of the membership. Alignment: '''Any lawful '''Hit Die: '''d8 '''Role: '''Sussurratori engage in a combination of martial prowess and stealth, and may also serve as a secondary face for the party. '''Requirements To qualify to become a sussurratore, a character must fulfill the following requirements: * Base Attack Bonus: '''+5 * '''Skills: '''Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks, Stealth 5 ranks * '''Maneuvers: '''Able to initiate third-level or higher maneuvers, at least one of which is from the Unquiet Grave or Veiled Moon disciplines. '''Class Skills: The sussurratore’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis) and Stealth (Dex). Skill Points Per Level: '''4 + Int modifier '''Class Features All the following are class features of the sussurratore prestige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency Sussurratori gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor. Maneuvers Known and Readied At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, a sussurratore gains new maneuvers known from the Black Seraph, Scarlet Throne, Shattered Mirror, Unquiet Grave and Veiled Moon disciplines. She must meet a maneuver’s prerequisites to learn it. She adds her full sussurratore levels to her initiator level to determine her total initiator level and highest-level maneuvers known. At 3rd, 6th, and 9th level, she gains additional maneuvers readied per day, and at 2nd, 5th, and 8th level she may exchange a known maneuver for a different maneuver that she qualifies for. Silent Blade (Su) The presence of the sussurratore muffles the sounds of any battle in which they participate, stifling the normal ring and din of combat. When the sussurratore rolls initiative (or after the surprise round, if there is one), she may also make a Stealth check. Creatures not in combat with her must succeed at a Perception check (DC equal to the sussurratore’s Stealth check) in order to hear the sounds of the battle, applying the usual penalties for distance or distraction. This replaces the usual DC to hear the sounds of battle. This ability muffles the sounds of battle within medium range (100 ft. plus 10 ft. per class level) of the sussurratore; combat outside of this range may be heard normally. Subdual Training (Ex) Sussurratori are often expected to bring their victims in alive, either to avoid panicking the mortals in the area or to extract more information on a possible conspiracy. A sussurratore may convert all damage from a melee attack, martial maneuver, or ranged attack they make to nonlethal damage at no penalty. If the attack or maneuver in question normally deals nonlethal damage, improve its damage by one die step. Stench of Guilt (Su) At second level the sussurratore gains a preternatural awareness of the guilt of others. She gains a +4 axiomatic bonus to Diplomacy checks made to gather information, as well as Sense Motive checks. Furthermore, she may make Diplomacy checks to gather information in half the normal time (1-2 hours). Night’s Children (Su) Starting at third level, the sussurratore benefits from a constant speak with animals effect, except that she may only speak to bats, dogs, owls, rats, and wolves. Furthermore, she may identify vampires on sight without having to succeed at a Knowledge (religion) check to do so, though learning additional information beyond the effects of the vampire template may still require a successful Knowledge check. Coffin Call (Su) A sussurratore of fourth level or higher may prepare a coffin with a special ritual which requires one hour and 100 gp of special materials. Once per day, as a full-round action, the sussurratore may teleport herself or another helpless (or willing) creature within 100 ft. to one of her prepared coffins that is large enough to contain the creature; the teleported creature (and all of its worn and carried equipment) arrives comfortably inside the coffin. If there are restraints built into the coffin, such as ropes or manacles, the sussurratore may choose to engage them when she transports the creature. If she does, the creature arrives bound and must make the usual checks to free itself (to say nothing of escaping the coffin). The sussurratore may maintain a maximum number of these coffins equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Shepherd’s Sense (Sp) Starting at fifth level, the sussurratore may use augury ''up to twice per day as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to her character level. Questions asked with this ability must relate to calming a mortal populace, covering up evidence of vampiric activity, or the identity of sapient beings revealing vampiric secrets to mortals. At eighth level, the sussurratore gains an additional use per day of this ability. '''Silencing Strike (Su)' Starting at sixth level, the sussurratore learns a quieting strike that swallows the sounds her victims attempt to make. She may expend one of her readied strikes as a standard action and make a melee or ranged attack. If it hits, it deals weapon damage as normal plus 6d6 nonlethal damage, and her victim must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + the sussurratore’s class level + her initiation modifier) or become utterly incapable of making sound, even by indirect action, for a number of rounds equal to the sussurratore’s initiation modifier. The victim is treated as if within the area of a silence spell, and their actions produce no sound whatsoever - glass shatters in silence, weapons break soundlessly, and the victim cannot deal sonic damage or use sonic effects. Death’s Challenge (Sp) Starting at seventh level, the sussurratore may challenge a creature within 100 ft. as a standard action. If she does, both she and that creature are subjected to the effects of the dimensional anchor ''spell (no save) for a number of rounds equal to the sussurratore’s class level. Furthermore, the sussurratore and the challenged creature are aware of each other’s exact position during this time, and neither benefits from concealment of any kind against the other. '''Writ of Passage (Su)' Sussurratori are called to hunt vampires who would dare to betray their kind to outsiders and break the law of occultation. Starting at eighth level, the sussurratore may move through walls and other solid objects as though she (and her worn and carried equipment) were incorporeal, provided that the object(s) are owned by a vampire or part of a building owned, operated, or whose owners owe fealty to a vampire. She may identify such objects and buildings when within at least 100 ft. of them; she senses the touch of undeath upon them. This does not afford the sussurratore any additional defense against attacks made by vampires. Silent Tomb (Sp) Starting at ninth level, the sussurratore may use forcecage ''once per day as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to her character level. Creatures trapped within her ''forcecage ''are subjected to the effects of a ''silence ''spell in addition to the normal effects of ''forcecage. The Forbidden Name (Su) At 10th level, the sussurratore’s powers of secrecy reach their pinnacle. Once per week, she may activate this ability as a free part of her silent blade ability triggering. If she does, any participants or witnesses to the encounter (aside from the sussurratore herself) must succeed at a Will save (DC 20 + the sussuratore’s initiation modifier) to be able to communicate about the event in any fashion, even indirectly. Furthermore, existing writing and information on the event - such as battle orders written beforehand - shrivel and erase themselves, inflicting a -10 penalty on all attempts made to research information on the event. Category:Source: Lords of the Night